The Immortalized Heart (Book 2 Original version)

The cold wind that brushes across her cheek did not bother as it did when she was human. Two years has gone by and nothing has changed, everything is as she left it. Over the mountaintop she rested, taking in the rising sun; a welcoming light. Once Kira loathed the world of light and all who basked in it, but her time with Emily helped her see the beauty in all shades. Among those of the town, Kira stood out--a white-haired woman with sunglasses does tend to draw attention.

She walked thru town slowly, wanting to take in the sights and sounds she overlooked as a child. Across the street another walked, but the presence of a new face caught the corner of her eye. She had not realized until the last moment, the woman who walked across the street was entirely different--Kira Nightraven. Her disbelieve swayed her course to where had a horn not sounded she would have walked right in front of the car. Looking again Kira was gone, no she was behind, having pulled the strayed from death's grip.

Jessica graduated two years ago and now was a sophomore in community college because despite hating this small town, she found she could not bear to leave it. This shitty town tied her down, no, it told to her to stay, like there was something she needed to do before she left. It gravitated around Kira's disappearance--half the town fell into depression and there were no answers to be found. People asked around, but the person known as Kira had been whipped from all memory and record and from the school Jessica was the only one who did not act as if Kira never existed.

"Its been a while, Jess." Jessica jumped, Kira had changed a lot; she was not the same person. Questions racked her mind--'where have you been?'; 'why doesn't anyone remember you?'; 'Why did you come back?' Kira gave a light smile; someone remembers her, that was a relief. By the time Jessica could speak, Kira already was gone, once again vanishing with the wind.

Eon greeted his tree by climbing and jumping between branches and weaving in and of of patches of sunlight. This is where they met, where they spent their time together and now this is where they would depart. Kira knew the ferret would not be safe if he remained with her and besides, this was his home and she only took him from it and forced him somewhere else. Up the hill, to the right past the twin tree one would find themselves on the main road to the mansion at the top of the mountain.

None were alarmed at the heavy atmosphere, but only one awaited at the gate. His arms were crossed as the old man stood by the opened entry; he warned he would kill her if she ever made the queen cry, but things have changed since then and old words don't hold up as they used to. Wolfgang felt no need to invite Kira inside, this was her home, this was their home and the only thing preventing her return was herself. In the library they sat quietly, sipping tea a commenting every-so-often when a familiar face entered the room.

"I know you, you're not here to stay; you want something then you'll leave just as always." Wolfgang huffs touching the tip of his sword's handle.

It is as the captain of the guard said and Kira felt no remorse in admitting such. She could not afford to regret her decision, Kira knew she had to live with the consequences of her choices. If her choices meant her suffering for Eona's happiness than so be it, it would be a cost she would gladly accept. Wolfgang commended Kira for coming when the queen was not here. The bastard child of Catherine knew at least how to keep her distance. Now however was not the time to dwell on relationships or emotions, but to look to the future so there would be time to dwell.

"You know about the history of the Nightravens better than anyone else. I need to know where the Book of the Moon is."

Wolfgang answered sharply, "The hunters have it."

One would believe that would be the end of their conversation, but Kira was not about to leave empty-handed and the old dog knew such. Instead he would indulge her thirst for knowledge with a history lesson. She was right, aside from Eona herself, Wolfgang knew more about the Nightraven family than even Alucard. He began with a simple statement, one he knew would bind Kira to her true purpose: whether it be as a tool or by her own violation:

"You will never betray her."

Amelia Nightraven founded the Nation. Her origins were a mystery because records of the time before the nation were thought to have been destroyed during the 'Great Collapse' of the first Reign. Known for the responsibility of uniting the vampire population, the Pureblood also created the first laws regarding the relationship between humans and immortals. It was a time ravaged by human conflict and eventually all common knowledge of the immortal's existence vanished and they became little more than myth and fantasy.

Amelia, who witnessed the fall of the First Reign, wanted a peace to be created, but from the shadows therefore humans could gradually grow to accept vampires. Wars waged on without hesitation and humans who were so frail they could never hope to stand against the Great White produced weapons and the means to end each other and themselves. Amelia Nightraven had a daughter by the name of Carmela Nightraven and continued to strive toward her dream of a peaceful world.

She never saw that dream fulfilled for in her long life, after the shock of losing both her family and her husband the Pureblood lost her will to live and claimed her own life. From there her only daughter and heir Carmela ascended the throne and attempted a different approach than her predecessor. She sought to control humans from the shadows, manipulating their own systems against them and making the world safer for vampires rather than allow the humans to gain 'equal' ground, capable of overthrowing vampire kind.

The Nightraven family only knew tragedy for shortly after Eona was born Carmela too lost her life, having also never seen the family dream accomplished. Eona was different than her predecessors, she did not inherit 'Amelia's Will' like her mother and chose a different path, wanting to change the fate of the Nightraven family. She wanted there to be a bridge between humans and vampires and just as she wished one had appeared.

A human who only knew the life of a vampire slave could be brought up to understand vampires from the human perspective. That human she raised carefully, knowing that one day her use would come and all that was necessary was to give her the knowledge to unite the two sides in peaceful ways, starting with the very humans who seek to kill vampires. The years passed and rather than raising a tool Eona saw the human as a person; a friend; rather than understand a species that wasn't her own, she understood Eona and her kin as her family.

For Eona who hardly understood the idea of family, it was something new and exciting in a long boring life. She thought to play along. Gradually however as the young girl grew and progressively ventured out from her dependence of Eona's side, the Pureblood became to feel an emotion she had never known before: fear. Fear of losing her precious bird; fear of the child no longer needing her; fear that someone else would take her away. That fear morphed into a longing and then became and uncontrollable desire to forever clip the bird's wings.

Her throat responded to this desire and before the Pureblood realized it, she had reach for the girl's neck. In the last moment she snapped her hand back and then in an instant withdrew from the girl, now fearing that rather than clip wings she would crush the bird. However when her bird willingly wondered back into the cage the door slammed shut and locked.

Kira sipped her tea after the story concluded, contemplating her next thoughts. Wolfgang's words were true--she would not betray Eona, no matter what whether Kira does its willingly or not her existence is for the queen's sake. In this twisted world that was her fate, one any person could have received, but she was the 'one' who did. A series of circumstance and coincidences not destiny had intertwined the two. Though Kira knew that to be reality she maintained the conscious that there were parts of her choices that were hers solely, un-dictated by the ideology of her upbringing; the power of her soul perhaps. In the face of all those odds Kira chose to take on the role of self-sacrifice on her own--she has always had the habit of taking on things as such.

What difference does it make to any, they do not see the world as she does, therefore they cannot comprehend her choices...not even Eona can. Wolfgang silently watched Kira's expressions. Once she would have been flustered, wanting to find a means that everyone could succeed at, however she is not the same Kira and now she sees the world and all those in it as a fly on the wall. Should he pity her because she is a human thrown into this fate or because she is a vampire who feels as a mortal does? Kira doesn't want pity, she doesn't want sympathy--what does she want?

"It seems anyone who bears the Nightraven name will always suffer tragedy." The old knight huffed moving his gaze to the numerous books on the shelves.

She said nothing for a time, only starred out the window to the shadows of a free's leaves. Its true, the Nightraven name is cursed, cursed by those who caused Amelia to flee after the collapse. Nonetheless she was only a step closer to the origin of that curse and it somehow surrounded the 'Ancestors' of the First Reign. Natas, Amelia, they were members, but how big of a family? Were they siblings? Lovers? Parents? Grandparents? They had a relationship and that curse follows that entire family...Alucard, Nightraven, Kira; holding the power of Natas...it felt like the bloodline was being reunited somehow or someone held a different agenda. The half-blood set her tea down and leaned forward, starring at the creases of her palms.

"I'm tired of not being able to anything." Kira admitted, "I've always been protected by someone whether it be Eona or Emily and for what?"

Wolfgang responded, "Love makes one do insane things--you'll come to understand that one day soon."

The statement caught her off guard and confused her, but she decided not to pursue it with a question. Kira clamped her hands together then brought them apart, kindling a tiny flame between them. Anyone who is near her suffers, a curse not by her doing, but by being a human in a vampire's world--the strong are hurt to protect the weak. She did not mind being hurt, she could handle it, but if Eona was hurt then Kira would truly break. She was selfish. How can she be hurt and be okay with it, but others could not, even if it was to share that pain? Wolfgang hated Kira for this, she was trying to take Eona's choice from her, thinking it was best for her when its up to the queen to decide for herself.

"I just want her to have a happy life...even if that means I'm not in it."

Wolfgang sighed, "You have an annoying delusion of what you deem as the correct course of action to be the only correct one. Eona and you know each other, have laughed and cried--that bond cannot be undone or taken back. The past cannot change so cease trying."

Kira smiles lightly, "I'm not trying to change the past, I'm trying to change the future."